Achille leon francois wattel



A. L. F. WATTEL. vALvE GEAR Fun INTERNAL comusnow ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13| 191B.

Patented May 13, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ACHILLE LoN rameurs Warum., on' snvmizs, mwen.

VALVE-GEAR FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application led April 13, 1918.

To H 'what/fz t may concern Be it knoivn that l, ACHILLE LON FRAN- goisWA'r'rnL, civil engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residingat 18 Avenue Henri lteg'nault, in Svres, Department Seine-et-Oise,France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Gears forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that kind of internal combustion engineworking on the four-stage cycle principle, wherein the valve-gear isessentially composed of a piston-valve, the inlet of the combustiblemixture and the outlet of the spent gases being eiiected by means oisuch valve.

The main object aimed at by the invention is to provide a constructionby which all reactions due to the e'ect of suction, compression orexplosion .upon the piston-valve are obviated.

The characteristic feature of the invention resides in that thepiston-valve is balanced.

A further peculiarity of this arrangement is that the piston-valve isrelieved of all shocks resulting from its contact with the cam used foroperating it. Furthermore, it presents this advantage that it bringsabout a rapid opening and closing of the suction and exhaust ports.

Another object aimed at by the invention is to provide for automaticallylubricating and readily cooling the piston-valve.

Finally, the construction provided in accordance With the invention issuch that the valve-gear can be easily and quickly taken apart and puttogether again.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by Way of an instance, avalve-gear desi ned in accordance with the characteristic eatures of theinvention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a plan.

The piston-valve a, which slides in the valve cylinder b, is formed withannular grooves al, a? for causing the explosion chamber h tocolnmunicate with the inlet duct c and the exhaust duct d. In the innerWall of the valve-cylinder b is formed, in

the same horizontal plane as the duct b2 issuing from the explosionchamber zy to- Ward the said cylinder, an annular groove b1, the ends ofwhich issue into the said duct b2, so that when the piston-valve a.assumes the position illustrated in the drawing, the pressure or suctiongenerated inside Specification of Letters Patent.

Paten ted .l1 ay I3. 1919.

Serial No` 228,493.

the explosion chamber It is uniformly distributed around i'hecircumference of the piston-valve, thereby balancing the same in atransverse direction. The piston-valve comprises a cylindrical portiona3 which assists in guiding it. The suction and compression effectsexerted upon the pistonvalve being; thus uniformly distributed over thesame, both axially by the grooves al, u2 and transversely by the grooveb1, the said member is thus balanced at all times so that all reactionis avoided, friction is brought down to a minimum and the powernecessary for operating it is reduced accordingly.

The piston-valve is operated from a suitably shaped cam e operated fromthe crankshaft or in any other suitable Way. This cam' remainsconstantly in touch with the roller c4 at the lower end of thepiston-valve c, so that all shocks are obviated in the operation of thislatterl The piston-valve may be so held in contact with its driving camby means of a spring, not shown, interposed between the top of thepiston-valve and the bottom of thel closing plug f for the valve-chamberb. But the said spi-ing might be located differently.

In the piston-valve is formed a channel (1,5 which enables the enginecarter-case g to be put in'to communication with the top of thevalve-chamber b. The oriice of this channel, which opens into the top ofthe said chamber, may be free or it may be equip ed with aA downwardlyclosing valve a6 so tldat it opens when the piston valve moves downwardAand closes when it moves u Ward. When the orifice is not equipped Wi l1any valve and when, thereforea the top `of t e chamber l) communicatesfreely With t e carter-case g, the particles of lubricant in suspensionin the air, produced by splashing in the said carter-case` areautomatically carried into the top of the chamber and insure lubricationof the piston-valve. If, on the contrary` the orice of the channel 0,5is closed by a valve af. the latter. when closing during the upwardmotion of the pistonvalve, produces at the upper part of the chamber ZJ,a compression which has for its effect to force the said piston-valve incontact with its cam e during its downward motion, Without substantiallyreducing the volume of the oil fed to the inside of the chamber. The topof the chamber b thus acts as a pneumatic bu'er.

Independently of the fact that the channel a5 feeds lubricant to thepiston-valve, it also acts to establish a circulation of air, takingsuch air in a cool condition Wlithin the carterrase q and bringing it incontact both with the inside and top of the piston-valve and a portionof the inner wall of the valveehamber Z.

The operation is as follows: The piston valve a establishes acommunication bet weeu the explosion chamber h and the suction duct c,such communication eontinuingto exist during the Whole of the suctionstroke, corresponding to the first stage of the cycle. The piston-valvethen moves for cutting otf the communication With the inlet c 'bothduring thecompression stroke (second stage) and during the active stroke(third stage), after which it again moves for establishing communicationWith the exhaust duet (Z during the Whole time of the exhaust (fourthstage), whereupon the same action. is repeated.

The position which the piston-valve assumes in the drawing is that whichcorresponds either to the com ression stroke or to the explosion stroke.l en the cam leaves the piston-valve, the latter moves downward eitherunder the action of a spring if one is used, or under the iniuenee ofthe Huid compressed in the top of the valve-chamber L, the return ofsuch fluid being checked by the valve a".

The piston-valve being balanced, there is no abnormal friction andtherefore no substantial Wear. The so to say supple. yet constantconnection between the piston-valve and its operating cam being apermanent one, no shock occurs. The splashing provides the oil necessaryfor lubricating the said piston-valve in that the particles of lubricantare carried along by the air pass ing through the channel a and,finally, the same air acts as a cooling medium for the valve-gear as aWhole.

The valve-gear can be easily taken apart. It is suliicient to remove theplug f and Withdraw the piston-valve f1, the latter not being positivelyconnected to any mechanical member.

Finally, the valve-chamber may be formed ot a member applied to orintegral with the engine cylinder.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature oi my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, l declare thatwhat I claim is:

l. Valve mechanism for internal combustion engines comprising acylindrical valve chamber provided with a closed top, and an openbottom, with inlet and exhaust ducts and with a port opening into thepiston chamber of the engine, said valve chamber being also providedwith an annular groove registering with said port, a piston valveprovided with a pair of annular grooves separated by a central annularrib, and with a longitudinally perforated. valve stem, n roller carriedby the lower end of said valve stem, and a flap valve opening upward carried by the upper end of said valve stem and closing the openingtherethrough as the valve moves upward, and a rotary cam engaging saidroller, substantially as described.

2. Valve mechanism for internal combustion engines comprising acylindrical valve chamber provided with a closed top, and an openbottom, with inlet and exhaust ducts and with a port opening into thepiston chamber of `the engine, said valve ehai'nber being also providedwith an annular groove registering With said port, a piston valveprovided with a pair of annular grooves separated by a central annularrib, and with a longitudinally perforated valve stern, a cylindricalguide piece carried by said valve stem near its lower end, a rollercarried by the lower end of said valve stem, and a flap valve openingupward carried by the upper end of said valve stem and closing theopening therethrough as the valve moves upward, and a rotary camengaging said roller, substantially as described.

ACHILLE LON FRANQOIS WATTEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner o! Patents. Washington, D. 0.

